Do you believe that Sakurai will stick to primarily Japanese gaming characters for the Fighters Pass?

[BluePikmin11]

The recent Banjo-Kazooie Smash rumors have sparked interesting discussion from various corners of the Smash speculation community. Some fans believe that Banjo opens a new floodgate for Western gaming icons like Crash and Doomguy to get in. Others believe that Banjo will be the only exception, citing Sakurai's desire to represent Japanese gaming with Smash games as the reason people should not expect any other Western gaming character beyond Banjo. For my last Smash speculation discussion thread as a hardcore speculator, I would like to see your personal opinion on the subject. Do you think Sakurai will add more Western gaming characters in the Pass? Do you believe Banjo will be the only exception? Do you think Sakurai will stick to characters from Western game franchises that are also notably popular in Japan? Let me know your thoughts.

 

[Taco Cruise]

The recent Banjo-Kazooie Smash rumors have sparked interesting discussion from various corners of the Smash speculation community. Some fans believe that Banjo opens a new floodgate for Western gaming icons like Crash and Doomguy to get in. Others believe that Banjo will be the only exception, citing Sakurai's desire to represent Japanese gaming with Smash games as the reason people should not expect any other Western gaming character beyond Banjo. For my last Smash speculation discussion thread as a hardcore speculator, I would like to see your personal opinion on the subject. Do you think Sakurai will add more Western gaming characters in the Pass? Do you believe Banjo will be the only exception? Do you think Sakurai will stick to characters from Western game franchises that are also notably popular in Japan? Let me know your thoughts.

I personally think if Banjo does get in (70% chance at this point given all the smoke) then Sakurai will probably have a 2-3 split Western/Eastern characters. If Banjo gets in, I could easily see someone like Doom Marine. If Banjo DOESN'T get in, I'd assume entirely Eastern characters.

 

[StormC]

Outside of Banjo I think it will be all Japanese. He’s an ex-Nintendo character with massive fan demand. A very special case.

 

[Wunderwaft]

Nope
Ignoring Western characters right now is going to be very hard, especially considering their huge demand and market.

 

[Ark of Silence101]

I really believe that to be the case, no disrespect to those who want Banjo and Kazooie but I don't believe in the leaks in the slightest.

 

[GoodGrief741]

I think Sakurai will stick to Japanese characters. Mostly for logistics reasons, but also aside from Banjo and Crash none are too popular worldwide.

 

[PsySmasher]

Still think that it’ll be mostly Japanese characters.

Won’t rule out characters like Banjo completely, but I’m not super confident in their chances.

 

[andree123]

I'm expecting 2 western made DLC fighters, with one intended to show collaboration between Nintendo and Microsoft (extremely likely to be Banjo), and the other being Sylux for a early reminder that he'll appear in Metroid Prime 4.

 

[Ark of Silence101]

And, once again I mean no offence or disrespect, but shouldn't the tittle of the thread be "Do you believe that Nintendo will stick primarily to Japanese gaming characters for the Fighters Pass"?, seeing as how Sakurai said that it was Nintendo themselves that handpicked the DLC?

 

[Verde Coeden Scalesworth]

I don't think there's enough of a bias at all to ignore Western characters. Banjo is possible for one choice, but others exist too. Steve, Master Chief(though not this Fighter's Pass, but in the future), Rayman, Rabbids, Doom Slayer, etc. He knows they're major characters and more than popular enough.

Banjo wouldn't be a remote exception either. Plus, Ryu wasn't an exception at all, which he had to talk to a Western company to perfect the character, same with Ken. Which already removes the idea that communicating with a Western company for a playable character is too hard. He clearly can and has done it. Twice.

I don't think we'll get a ton in general, though. He wants to focus on Japanese gaming, but absolutely hasn't ignored Western gaming either(if he did, Rayman wouldn't have been a Trophy at all).

 

[ProfPeanut]

While difficult to predict for certain, there's simply too many available Japanese icons for Sakurai to have to sidetrack to Western developers. It's far more convenient for Nintendo, and more likely to be a game they're familiar with.

I just don't see it as a priority that Smash ever has to make unless it's for a really cool character like Kratos or Heavy. There's plenty of really important Western games, like Mortal Kombat or Sims, that have zero presence or acknowledgement in Smash, and very few feel that the game is lacking for it.

That's not to say that Nintendo and Sakurai are actively avoiding Western third-parties, as many speculators would believe. Rather, they're simply just not prioritizing them - they're not going out of their way to get them unless they're someone like Banjo, and we all know that even getting Japanese characters involves a lot of going out of one's way. Easier to pick someone closer to home, especially when actual in-game implementation doesn't care none about where these characters come from.

 

[BluePikmin11]

And, once again I mean no offence or disrespect, but shouldn't the tittle of the thread be "Do you believe that Nintendo will stick primarily to Japanese gaming characters for the Fighters Pass"?, seeing as how Sakurai said that it was Nintendo themselves that handpicked the DLC?

I take Sakurai's Twitter statement at face value, with Nintendo making the selection and Sakurai giving the final decision of characters from the selection.

 

[dezeray112]

Even though I would not rule out the possibility that there maybe other western based third party characters coming through maybe if they do a second fighters pass, I do believe that the first pass will contain just one western based third party character and the remaining three are going to be Japanese based.

 

[StupendousMike]

I mean, he's stuck to primarily Japanese characters for the entire roster up to now, so...

 

[Kirbeh]

I'd say it's the most likely case. I do think the possibility for a western character is there, but if we do get one, then I think it'll be just that; only one. If there's another Fighters Pass (which I doubt) then perhaps another could make the cut, but I'd say the pool of western characters they'd consider is pretty narrow.

 

[Impa4Smash]

I think our 4 other characters will be Banjo/Capcom Rep/SE Rep/Bandai Namco Rep.

So just one western character.

 

[StormC]

I think our 4 other characters will be Banjo/Capcom Rep/SE Rep/Bandai Namco Rep.

So just one western character.

Same here. I really feel like Capcom and Namco will get the last two characters. Both have several options to add and neither has gotten a true newcomer since Smash 4. Namco has only one character.

 

[Impa4Smash]

Same here. I really feel like Capcom and Namco will get the last two characters. Both have several options to add and neither has gotten a true newcomer since Smash 4. Namco has only one character.

Yeah it just seems like a good business move. Plus, plenty of great characters to pick from the companies.

Namco only having Pac-Man is particularly strange. The only I could see not getting another one is Capcom, but still think we’ll see either a Monster Hunter or Resident Evil rep.

 

[M00NFIRE94]

I mean, he's stuck to primarily Japanese characters for the entire roster up to now, so...

Yeah I mean there's like 73 Japanese game characters in the roster. Wouldn't hurt to throw some western ones in here and there.

 

[Cyberfire]

In an old Famitsu article Sakurai did note that he was proud of Smash being one of the biggest selling Japanese franchises, he then added something along the lines of the roster being a good showcase for Japanese gaming to international audiences. So I wouldn't be surprised to see even more characters like Bayo and Joker who are from mid-level Japanese studios.

 

[fogbadge]

i would think probably

unless theres some more rare made dk characters

 

[jamesster445]

Sakurai said at e3 last year that he wants Ultimate to be the biggest gaming crossover ever.
He also added Ridley and Dark Samus based on Western tastes.

So maybe. I still think it's a crime that shooters has no real reps despite it being one of the most popular genres globally. So I'm really hoping for Master Chief or Doom Guy.

 

[RetrogamerMax]

I'm on the same boat as most of you guys that I think Banjo & Kazooie are going to be the only western character in the Season Pass. However, I believe Crash or Doom Slayer could be the 2nd western rep if we get another.

I personally think if Banjo does get in (70% chance at this point given all the smoke) then Sakurai will probably have a 2-3 split Western/Eastern characters. If Banjo gets in, I could easily see someone like Doom Marine. If Banjo DOESN'T get in, I'd assume entirely Eastern characters.

Same here.

I'm expecting 2 western made DLC fighters, with one intended to show collaboration between Nintendo and Microsoft (extremely likely to be Banjo), and the other being Sylux for a early reminder that he'll appear in Metroid Prime 4.

Even though Sylux was made by American/Texas studio Retro Studios, he is technically a Japanese character because he is owned by Nintendo. Any Nintendo owned character is Japanese, even if they were originally not created in Japan like Diddy, K. Rool, and Dark Samus.

Same here. I really feel like Capcom and Namco will get the last two characters. Both have several options to add and neither has gotten a true newcomer since Smash 4. Namco has only one character.

Who you think they will be? I'm thinking Phoenix Wright and Lloyd Irving.

 

[StormC]

Who you think they will be? I'm thinking Phoenix Wright and Lloyd Irving.

A Resident Evil character (either Leon or Jill) and Heihachi with the possibility of a Tales character (or someone else from Tekken).

 

[Nemuresu]

I have to agree with many here.

Yes, I can see Japanese characters dominating the pass. But saying there can't be any Western characters is honestly an understatement.

And no, I don't consider Banjo an exception. To get him in, Sakurai and Nintendo had to talk with American developers. There's no other way to dance around that.

 

[RileyXY1]

I think that it wouldn't be surprising to see 2 or even 3 Western made characters in the pass. So many of them are actively supporting the Switch and Nintendo.

 

[StupendousMike]

Yeah I mean there's like 73 Japanese game characters in the roster. Wouldn't hurt to throw some western ones in here and there.

I'd love to have a few more non-Japanese characters in the game. Crash and Banjo and Dixie are at the top for me. I'd also love to see Scorpion, even though it will literally never happen, so I can finally make him and Ryu punch each other in a game.

I'm just looking at the roster. There are damn near 80 characters in Ultimate, and only three so far (Diddy, K. Rool and Dark Samus) have origins outside of Japan.

 

[fogbadge]

And no, I don't consider Banjo an exception. To get him in, Sakurai and Nintendo had to talk with American developers. There's no other way to dance around that.

and british developers

 

[pupNapoleon]

I dont think they will all be Japanese preferred (like Joker)- that's for sure.
Will we see a western developer acknowledged?

I do believe Ubisoft and Bethesda have great chances.
Hell, Microsoft too.

I would love to see Scorpion, Rayman, Banjo and Kazooie, Ezio, Steve... I think it could even be possible.

 

[Luigifan18]

Banjo wouldn't be a remote exception either. Plus, Ryu wasn't an exception at all, which he had to talk to a Western company to perfect the character, same with Ken. Which already removes the idea that communicating with a Western company for a playable character is too hard. He clearly can and has done it. Twice.

Um... Capcom is a Japanese company IIRC. What in blazes are you talking about?!

 

[Verde Coeden Scalesworth]

Um... Capcom is a Japanese company IIRC. What in blazes are you talking about?!

Capcom USA is a US company. Capcom Co. is a Japanese company. They're two different subsets and in two different regions.

Capcom USA obviously spun-off from Capcom Co. and still is tied to the Japanese region(so it wasn't too hard to look at it as "Japanese gaming"), but Sakurai still had to talk to the Western section. Which outright proves the idea that there's a massive language barrier as outright false. He even had to go to that company for DLC alone the first time. And then again for base roster.

It's one example of negotiating with a Western company. He's done it more than once. It's also how he got the Shovel Knight AT, as that would require some extra discussion, as it's more than just a quick image or model to throw in. Of course, he went to Ubisoft too for various things, and Wayforward. I could go on. He goes to Western companies as evidenced by the content. Capcom USA was the first example of this.

 

[RileyXY1]

It's also implied that Sakurai went to Bethesda to get a character.

 

[Verde Coeden Scalesworth]

It's also implied that Sakurai went to Bethesda to get a character.

Or at least they had talks as is(I remember this in itself being confirmed). Even more evidence that going for Western characters is not as much of an issue as people are making it.

 

[RileyXY1]

Banjo & Kazooie are now playable. They are the very first completely Western made characters to be playable.

 

[fogbadge]

there you have it guys a british character